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Blogs — How Do You Interact With Them?

Last month, I asked how you follow blogs and then followed up with a post on the poll results. Now, I’m curious how—or if—you let the bloggers you follow know what you think of their posts. Some readers already described how they interact on the earlier posts. If you did, I hope you won’t mind summarizing again. And now, let’s start with our first question.

Do You Respond To Blog Posts?

Of course, if you don’t normally respond to posts, I hope you’ll at least answer the first poll question so we get a more complete picture! Are you someone who leaves a like or comment on every post you read by every blogger you follow? Or do you stay anonymous, leaving the discussions to others? Maybe in between? I fall in that last category.

This first question is general and doesn’t get into whether you comment on all posts by every blogger you follow or on just a few posts by a few bloggers. By “respond” I mean comments and/or “likes.”

If you never “like” or comment on posts, the remaining questions don’t apply. But I hope you’re curious what other readers are like and will stick around for the rest of this post.

How Do You Respond To Blog Posts?

I usually leave at least a like, unless the subject matter makes me too uncomfortable to reply. I hope the authors of such posts realize that not everyone can respond to difficult, sensitive, or inflammatory topics. For my “inner circle” of blog buddies, I always try to leave a comment and like. But again, if I’m really uncomfortable with the subject matter, I might struggle to leave a like. And sometimes, I just don’t know what to say without sounding trite, insensitive, or clueless. Also, I can’t always get to every post, especially for the daily bloggers. So I might not have left a calling card because I didn’t stop by that day.

Please feel free to share your reasons for responding the way you do. (Or, if you’re uncomfortable with that, you can stay on the sidelines. 😉 )

When Do You Respond To Blog Posts?

I think we’ll see a lot of variation in this poll question. There are a few blogs where I comment on every post that goes up, unless I’m away from the blogosphere for a while. For others, though, I’ll only comment on some posts. And there are some blogs where I only leave a like. But I try to at least leave that “like” to let the blogger know I was there and read their work. As many of you already know, there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to comment on every blog I follow. And many of you face the same situation.

And so we have Question No. 3. Again, “respond” means either a comment and/or a “like.”

Summing Up

I don’t want these posts to be overwhelming, so we’ll leave it at three poll questions again. The earlier posts generated a lot of great comments from readers, and I’d love to see more of the same here. So please help keep the ball rolling!

64 thoughts on “Blogs — How Do You Interact With Them?”

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Where I’ve been able to look at the post, I leave a ‘like’ – unless, like you, I’m uncomfortable or disagree. I try to leave a comment on blogs I enjoy, but if i’m rushed and I don’t have anything to add to the conversation other than general praise, then I leave it at that. i’m always glad when a blogger has a star ‘rating’ system – that’s a great way to boost morale without investing too much time, especially on blogs which post a lot, or whatever!

I was interested, during the week, that WP did a ‘how to be a good communicator’ post and suggested that it wasn’t necessary to respond to every comment, but rather to those which contributed to the conversation prompted by the post – which I think is terrific. While we all love a bit of praise it can take a long time to think of something nice to say back to people’s one or two words of praise.

I haven’t thought about using the star rating system. Maybe that’s something I should look into. And now I must read the WP post about being a good communicator. I’ve always believed I should try to respond to every comment (except when a single commenter’s thread gets going; I may let that person have the last word). It is hard sometimes to come up with a good response for some comments other than “thanks!” or a smiley face.

Time is a common thread in the comments being left today, isn’t it? We’ve all talked about it before. And I’m not sure any of us are getting better at managing it!

I think it only gets worse, unless we cut people off our list, or only visit periodically.

When I get stressed about it I try to remember I’m doing this because it’s fun! For those of you with more serious public relations goals, it’s just gotta be part of the job, I fear – though how you’d manage you own writing and your site if you had a popular site like Madhu’s at The Urge to Wander, for instance – she regularly has hundreds of comments to each post, and like a champion she answers each and every one of them.

I couldn’t possibly keep up with a huge following like that! I’m quite content with my numbers where they are at the moment. When I get closer to publication, I’ll need to work on widening my presence. But for now, I must focus on the WIPs.

I couldn’t agree more – the writing’s what it’s all about JM. Really, I don’t know how you manage to blog at all – what discipline, and being part of a marriage, and working full-time … it’s beyond me 🙂

To give you some feedback: I don’t really follow a lot of blogs. I usually look for topics and read what I am interested in. If I enjoyed reading it, I ‘like’, and if there is something I want to agree or disagree with, I also leave a comment.

Hi, Nadia, thanks for stopping by and joining the conversation. You’re wise not to follow too many blogs. That’s a problem I and a number of other bloggers have, and it makes us put too much pressure on ourselves to respond as often as possible to posts. Your system is a good one!

I’ve been having trouble ‘liking’ lately because WP is playing up (or it may be my computer), I was able to ‘like’ this post but most others I can’t. So if I like a post and can’t ‘like’ it (sorry if this is getting confusing) I now have to leave a comment because I’ve spent time reading it! 😉

I find it hard commenting on posts that are really long and talk about different subjects and seem to go nowhere. I like shorter posts where I’m asked a question at the end or if it’s really clear what the blogger is talking about (like this one, for example) 😀

My first suggestion for all glitches with WP is to switch to Firefox or Chrome if you’re currently using Internet Explorer (any version). My problems dropped by 99 percent or more when I switched to Firefox. But if you’re using one of those two already, it might be worth dropping a line to the WP tech folks.

Rambling, obtuse, or purposely obscure posts are hard for me, too. At best I’ll leave a like, especially if there aren’t many comments. Short, sweet, and to-the-point posts are my favorites, too—especially if they appear no more than three times a week. 😉

And I tend to avoid politics, religion, and hot-button/uncomfortable posts, too. I don’t think you’re being shallow. Don’t we absorb enough of those topics from the news?!

I forgot the “no more than three times a week” part. If someone posts every day there’s no way I can catch up with them because I only check WP every few days. So glad I’m not being shallow (LOL) I just seriously don’t have time to read something I’m not particuarly interestred in – so glad you agree 😀

This was a tough poll for me, as I’m dong things much differently these days than I was over the summer. The biggest reason my habits have changed is time constraints with the school year and increased after-school activities. I have heard that the older kids get, the more sports/activities they get involved in, and the more time commitment on the parents’ end. It is quite true, and my kids aren’t even in middle school yet.

The other reason is that I started subbing at the kids’ school and so far the shifts I have had to work have fallen directly during the time that I had set aside for blogging. This has created a lot of turmoil for me, as I am no longer keeping up with posts daily, and rather, getting to most posts 4-6 days late. Plus, it means I’m missing posts by daily bloggers because posts get buried so quickly. I stopped commenting on all the posts made by daily bloggers a long time ago, but now I’m not even reaching half of their posts. I’m lucky if I can comment on two posts per week on a daily blogger’s site.

I feel like the answers I gave in the poll are accurate today, but might not apply to next week — all depending on what happens to my Life schedule. These answers actually don’t apply to my blogging activity just a week ago because I didn’t comment on more than 20 posts.

I will admit that I make a concerted effort to visit and comment on the blogs of people who are consistently commenting on mine. Then I break it down from there, and keep track of how often I’m visiting other blogs, making sure that I’m commenting at least once per week. It’s not a lot, I wish I could do more, but it’s impossible at this juncture.

First things first, and that’s to say thanks for spending some of your far-too-limited time here and sharing such an insightful comment! I suspect a lot of bloggers with children and outside jobs (whether part-time or full-time) understand exactly where you’re coming from and the changes you’ve had to make in your blogging schedule.

I look at all the extracurricular activities for today’s children with mixed feelings. I don’t think my childhood was deprived in any way, even with more limited choices. We had sports, music, theater, special interest clubs, and such, but they didn’t require our parents driving us all over town to multiple venues every day. We’ve become a culture that insists on constant involvement in something and usually multiple somethings. Even vacations are “supposed” to be spent doing intense activities in faraway places. Where is the downtime that we all need to rest and assimilate everything we’ve seen and done during the day? I think we’re heading for a collective crash and burn before long.

That’s one reason why I appreciate so much the time that you and other readers spend visiting with me on the blog. With all that juggling, I’m truly thankful that people make time to stop by here. And that’s one reason why I feel guilty when I can’t always do the same.

I wish I had a way to create more hours in a day. But all I can suggest is that we all step back and say, “Enough, already. No more. I’m taking back my life and my family’s,” wherever we can.

I sometimes feel bad for not reading someone’s blog, but as you say, there’s only a certain number of hours in a day. And reading the ever-increasing number of blogs I follow eats into my writing time! 😉 I really need to sleep more…

I’ve really had to restrict the number of new blogs I start following, even when someone has done me the honor of following mine. But I have to make time for the novels first. At least I’ve succeeded in not expanding my social networking beyond the blog, despite all the “expert advice” to do so!

I’m finding it more and more difficult to keep up with all the blogs I follow. I can’t always comment when a blogger posts daily, although I’ll try to stop by and at least click a ‘like’ button. I suppose I will eventually reach a saturation point when I just can’t follow and comment on any new sites, but I hope not. 🙂

When I see a new or infrequent visitor leave a like or comment on a post, I try to return the visit. But even that gets hard to keep up with. And I have the same difficulty as you with daily bloggers. I cannot comment on every post. I try to leave a like at least, but there are some days where I just can’t keep up. And if I tried to catch up on everything I missed, I’d never finish the novels. Not a good thing.

If it’s any consolation, I will never do more than two regular posts a week. I reserve the right to do an occasional extra one if I think there’s something really important that readers would like to know. 😉

JM, I usually always comment and like my “circle” of blogger friends. Those that I follow I try to comment at least once a week. It’s difficult as you know to respond to all the blogs you follow — you’d never leave the house. On good weeks and if I’m feeling creative and have the time, I try to post 2-3 times a week and I find the same — that circle of blogger friends will stop by and weigh in. I’m like you though — if it’s something I’m uncomfortable with, I don’t normally comment — I’ll wait for the next post and then resume. Does that make sense? It’s interesting — these polls you’re doing. Some of it also has to do with setting alerts that work best for your schedule.

I’ve got some blogs set for immediate delivery and others for weekly. But I think my next step is to set most to daily so I can cut down the number of new messages in my inbox. 😉

Waiting for the next post after an uncomfortable one to comment or leave a like makes perfect sense to me. I usually do the same thing. And sometimes I try to leave a longer comment to make up for a missing one. I know I shouldn’t worry about such things, but it’s my nature!

I know some bloggers have good reasons for posting every day, and they provide great content in every post. But — and I don’t mean to hurt anyone’s feelings here — sometimes the content really isn’t worth it. Is posting the equivalent of a Facebook status update really necessary or helpful? In my opinion, no. And I’d bet I’m not alone.

I think the comments to these posts show we’re all curious about how others perceive our blogs and how “normal” our blog reading/writing habits compare to others. 🙂

More often than not these days, I doubt “time is on my side.” Usually I think “time waits for no one.” And those darn novels and blog posts refuse to write themselves. Meghan is tapping her foot and reminding me her Tuesday post is not that far off….

I try to stop by the blogs I follow diligently, and some weeks I’m more successful about this than others. In my “circle” of bloggers, I try to leave at least a “like” to let them know I’ve visited them. When I comment, I like to read what others have commented as well to keep in the spirit of the conversation. If I’m visiting late and there are a LOT of comments already (and I’m lucky enough to follow articulate, thought-provoking bloggers) and I’m pressed for time, I just leave the “like” and forego the comments. Thanks, JM. These posts definitely have me thinking differently about how I plan my posts! xoxoM

Oh, yes, coming late to the party—I forgot about that! Everyone’s already made the really great comments—especially on the really popular blogs. Brigitte’s Banter, Fear No Weebles, The Write Transition … just to name a few! Sometimes I’ll leave a comment jokingly saying “I got nothin'” or “Everything I would say was already said.” But like you, I might just leave that like and move to the next blog. 😉

I think the concept of too little time has been in every comment so far, and I don’t think that will change!

I have a lot of blogs that I follow, so I just don’t have the time to read all of them and comment. Also, some of the blogs I follow use other platforms that aren’t always easy to comment on if you’re not a fellow user.

I only comment if something really attracts my interest, but if I see another commenter has said what I want to say, I usually won’t comment with the same thing again. Also, I’m reluctant to comment on posts that have over 20 comments already, mostly because I don’t think at that point that I’ll be contributing much to the conversation, but maybe that’s a silly way to think. I also won’t usually comment if I see that there are 50 comments and none belong to the content creator.

If I have something to say about a post, I’ll leave my thoughts. But if I finish reading and it hasn’t moved me to do so, I won’t.

That said, I try to keep up and leave comments or likes for the blogs I really enjoy. 😀

I am so bad about keeping up with bloggers on other platforms because I’m not signed up with them. I’ve heard there’s a way to get them into the WP Reader, but I haven’t figured out how to do that. And I don’t use Google’s reader.

You’re now the second reader to mention the number of comments left on a post influences your decision to comment or not. It plays a role for me, too, which I forgot to mention in the post. If I’m late to one of my “core” group’s posts, I’ll comment even if a hundred people beat me there and got all the good lines. But other blogs, I’ll probably just leave a like to let the blogger know I was there.

Given your insightful posts and comments, I don’t think you should hold back from commenting unless you really don’t have anything to say. 😉

Heh, well thanks. 🙂 The biggest thing that usually stops me from commenting is that the post itself didn’t inspire a comment to percolate. 🙂 That’s one of the reasons that I stopped using Triberr, I think. I didn’t like sharing *every* single post that was out there (specifically during ROW 80 seasons, because I only like to share posts that have more of a narrative to them than “I did this this week” unless what was done was flee zombies or learn how to use a machete), and I feel the same way about comments, I guess. I comment on posts where the bloggers instigate a strong dialogue (like this one!) or ask a question I want to answer. So posts that are just, “I wrote 5,000 words on the WIP this week” don’t really do much for me.

This is interesting to see the results so far. I find that I don’t usually have the time to read every post of a blogger I follow. I wish I did. When I do have more time on some days to do that, I have a lot of fun. Where is my magic genie to grant me more time?

I really need to count the number of times that “time” shows up in the comments. Because it’s very clear that no matter our blogging subjects and no matter how often we post or read other blogs, time is something we all find to be in short supply! And yet somehow, we’re all marching forward. 🙂

I respect my readers’ time—or lack thereof!—and try to keep my posts under 700 words. Although Meghan’s been sneaking in a few more with some of her weekly installments. Hopefully no one’s been counting. 😉

Next Saturday’s will be short, and—she says crossing her fingers—give you some good laughs. 🙂

I try to respond to as many posts as I can with a like AND a comment, although sometimes I get backed up and have to skip a few. Sometimes I’ll just click “Like” if I’ve read it and enjoyed it but don’t have anything much to add in a comment. Like Margarita, I have a “circle” of bloggers I visit whenever they post something new (you being one of that circle). But I try to keep up with everyone I follow. It can be tough with those who post daily but I do my best.

When I do these polls, the interest and consideration of my fellow bloggers and readers is so clear. We want to interact more than we do, and we wish we could follow more of the people who follow us. And we expect more of ourselves than our readers. When I see all the comments you get on your posts, I am amazed at how you can respond to all of them! I’ve only topped 50 incoming comments once, and that was hard to keep up with. You see more than that on most posts! You rock, Madame W!

Thank you very much! It does become time consuming to reply to everyone, but if they took the time to read and comment, then I want to acknowledge them. Sometimes I don’t get to them the same day, but I try not to leave anyone without a response. 🙂

I think having been on the blog scene over this year, that there are certain blogs that I try keep up with and comment where possible. As you know I have less time right now so they are a priority. I do not have the time to dip into as many blogs as I did, and even less new ones, so I simply prioritise for those that I have been interacting with for a while. In a sense it does not allow me to grow my audience much right now as I do not have the time to interact wih other new blogs, but for me, right now, that is ok.

Seriously, when I do the follow up post on this, I am counting the number of “times” in the replies. Time is at the heart of nearly everyone’s comments. We all want more of it, but would that really help? Wouldn’t we just fill the extra time with more activities?

Like you, I think growing my audience at this point is unrealistic. I would need more time, and I don’t have any. Family, work, and the novels have to come first. I’m hoping I can hold steady until the first book is closer to publication. Then I’ll try to find time to increase my blogging presence. And, maybe, branch into other social media. Not that I’m looking forward to that!

When I had more time earlier on in the year, I was reading more blogs, and doing more posts. In a way I wish I could have dropped the number of posts earlier and concentrated more on other projects. Oh well, lessons learned…

With the blogs I read and enjoy regularly, I typically try to read every post, although I’m not able to do that, particularly with more prolific authors. On those I read, I generally respond with a “Like” regardless of the subject matter (although it’s a fair bet I did in fact enjoy the piece, as I stop reading those authors I don’t enjoy), to signify that I’ve read it and my appreciation for the author’s time and effort. If something prompts me to comment, I will. Also, if I haven’t commented in a while, I like to leave a comment that lets the author know I’ve actually read his/her work, and am not just hitting “Like” and moving on.

It seems like we all reach a point where we adjust our interactions, which is to be expected. We might start out following a handful of blogs, but as we follow more, it’s much harder to maintain a regular commenting schedule. And then we focus on those blogs that “fit” best for us—with the core group often being some of the first bloggers we interacted with.

Somewhat off topic, but maybe the subject of a future post, is how our decisions whether to follow a new blog change through time and do we approach interactions with those new blogs differently, maybe because of time constraints or a more focused blogging routine than when we started, for example.

I must be in the minority about that “Like” button. I seem to get so many bots Liking my posts – “bloggers” who click that button but never leave a comment – that I’ve gotten jaded about it. I do click “Like” once in a while, if I *really* like someone’s post. I’ve never considered it a stopgap between skipping a post and writing a comment, though. I’ll have to rethink my position.

The main reason for my stance is that I come from the deviantART community, where the “Like” button means nothing. I always think it would be nice if those who click “Like” or “Favourite” or whatever would drop me a line and tell me *why* they did so. We seem to be in an Internet age that’s gone beyond communication, though. “Liking’s killed the forum post star,” in a way.

Maybe it’s a sign that not too many bots bother with my blog…. I know a few of the likes have been from sites like that, but really very few. And some (I’m hypothesizing here) may come from readers who aren’t comfortable writing in English. But based on the comments, it looks like “like” is used in a variety of ways on our blog posts.

Its similarity to the Facebook “like” and what you describe with devianART probably don’t help its reputation with some bloggers, either. Maybe I should look into adding the start rating system to my posts and see if that gets used….

I have very similar things to say as a lot of the other commenters (although I skimmed over some of the comments, again because of lack of time!). There are a few bloggers whose posts I always comment on, and generally ‘like’ too, but with those who blog daily, however much I like their blog, I probably wouldn’t comment more than two or three times a week. If someone regularly comments on my blog, but theirs isn’t a blog that hold a particular interest for me, I will still make an effort to go over and like and/or comment on theirs now and again.

I reply to every comment on my blog (if I haven’t replied to one, it’s because I’ve missed it) – I don’t know what I would do if my number of commenters increased significantly though, I guess it would be my reading of other blogs that would go down, I would really not like to stop replying to all comments on my blog, even if it’s just a quick acknowledgment. I work full time and have two children, and I obviously blog on Limebird as well as my own blog. Plus trying to fit in my own writing and acting. There’s only so much we can do!

Ha! Another comment featuring Time! Maybe we should revise the old saying that “nothing’s certain except death and taxes” to include and “there’s never enough time.”

Like you, I reply to every comment, unless a “discussion” develops with a commenter, and then I can let them have the last word. If I’ve missed anyone out there, it was an accident! But how would I handle that if a hundred people or more ever started commenting? At some point, something has to give. At least I don’t have to worry about that unless the books really take off when they’re published. [Okay, I won’t have to worry about that at all. 🙂 ]

How some people manage to post everyday while working full time and raising a family AND writing novels is beyond my abilities!

Okay, so I feel like an outsider still, since I am in the process of preparing to launch a blog. Assuming I eventually receive many comments to posts, my goal is to respond to as many as I can–especially at the start when I’m building new relationships. As for commenting or liking other posts myself–well, as you may have noticed here, I don’t always follow through with it–mostly because of that ‘ol bugga-boo time. I will ‘like’ a post when I truly do like it, but don’t have anything to add. I will comment if, like here, it is of particular interest to me and I feel I can contribute something meaningful. I don’t always read all posts from blogs I follow–just the ones that catch my interest.

It worries me a little, though not enough to stop me, that others won’t have time for my blog either. So many interesting blogs (and posts), so little time.

At the beginning, I think most bloggers wonder if anyone will read their blogs and comment on or like any of the posts. And for most of us, it is a slow process to build an audience. But I think that’s best. It gives us time to find our voice and figure out a schedule that works for us. At first, it’s easy to publish daily, or close to it. But that’s a good way to burn out. And from what I see in comments on this and the earlier posts, a lot of readers appreciate bloggers who don’t post more than 3 times a week.

When you do start your blog, be sure to let people like me know that you have. Then we can formally welcome you to the party and help get you started with an audience. I think you’re taking a good approach by researching other blogs first and deciding what you want to focus on.

Interesting poll JM! Limebird follow so many blogs that it would be impossible for me to comment on EVERY single blog post, but I do skim through my reader and click on posts that grab my attention. If I’ve read a post, I will try to at least ‘like’ it, but I will try to comment if I can. I only like those that I’ve read though. Sometimes I’ll read a post, but then forget to like! Haha. It depends really. I also have a group of blogs that I will visit daily to see their new posts (which you are one! 🙂 ) I also visit the Limebird Writer’s blogs and those that I enjoy reading!

As manager of a group blog and its associated forum, I’d be amazed if you could comment on most blogs you follow. 🙂 And I love the way you support new bloggers—you were one of the early followers of my blog, and I have always appreciated that. I’ve no doubt that many of the “United Kingdom” hits in my stats are from you and fellow Limebirds across the pond. 🙂 It’s no surprise to me how popular your blog has become!

Oh, also this is Beth btw. 😛 And, in terms of replying to comments on Limebird, I make a conscious effort to reply to every single comment made on one of my posts. If people make the effort to come and comment, I will make the effort to reply. This is why I quite like the orange comment box feature at the top right because it shows me everyone that replies, which is really handy! 🙂

That orange box is a lifesaver for me. I’m trying not to be Pavlov’s dog when I see it light up, but it’s such a good way to see when there’s been action on my blog. 🙂 And your comments simply reinforce my view that many people in our corner of the blogosphere are nice, polite, and considerate. Such a welcome relief from what we hear on the news!

It’s nice to know we’re not alone, isn’t it? 🙂 As I just said to Beth above, this blogging corner is a great place to hang out and remember that the world is a better place than some people would have us believe. 🙂

You’re welcome, and thank you for stopping by to read and comment. 🙂 Bloggers (myself included) sometimes overthink the meaning of comments/no comments and likes/no likes. Our audience is probably larger than we think, and not everyone interacts the same way we do. Now, if I can just make myself remember that on a a day when views aren’t what I hoped for…. 😉

I’d love to see humanity step back from this rush to do everything all the time. We need down time to process ideas and thoughts and absorb the things we learn. But we can’t bring ourselves to do it because we think we’ll miss out on something important. I’m as guilty as anyone. But I am making the effort to slow down and not fall headlong over a cliff!

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On Adverbs

Adverbs are my place holders as ideas rush out and my fingers can’t keep up with them on the keyboard. Later, when I’m editing, they remind me what I was thinking. “He reached clumsily for his keys” can be revised to “He fumbled for his keys.” Or, “She said gently” reminds me to make sure her dialogue makes that feeling clear.